1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a temperature and time indicator for confirming high pressure sterilization, and more particularly, to a temperature and time indicator for confirming high pressure sterilization such that whether a product that necessarily requires a high pressure sterilization process such as medicines or foods passes through the high pressure sterilization process performed at a regulated temperature and pressure condition is indicated to be seen from the outside through a specified mark.
2. Discussion of Related Art
In recent times, as a refrigeration and freezing industry is advanced, foods and medicines that require freezing and refrigeration should be appropriately managed, and in particular, the medicines or foods that require a strict temperature management during distribution should be always maintained in a fresh state during the entire distribution from producers to consumers. In particular, when the medicines are exposed to a non-defined temperature for a specified time or more, since an ingredient may be spoiled to cause a serious medical side effect to a user, it is very important for the consumer to visually check a distribution process of the medicines. This may be applied to all products that can be easily spoiled according to a variation in temperature like foods as well as the medicines.
In addition, among medical instruments, foods, metal products, glass products, paper or textile products, water, media, reagents and liquid medicines, products in which germs may propagate should pass through a high pressure sterilization process as long as the products can endure a high temperature and a high pressure.
Here, the high pressure sterilization process refers to a sterilization process of exposing products under a condition of a temperature of about 121 degrees and a pressure of about 15 psi for about 15 minutes to destroy all of nurse cells and endospores present in the products and effectively coagulate bacteria.
However, it is difficult for consumers in a final consumption step to visually check in a purchase step whether the medicines or foods are distributed, stored and handles under regulated temperature management or pass through an appropriate high pressure sterilization process, but the consumers can only determine whether the products is correctly stored after seeing the current storage state and appearance of the products. Further, it is also difficult for a professional manager who manages these products to visually check whether the products are distributed, stored and handles under the regulated temperature management condition or pass through the appropriate high pressure sterilization process.
Accordingly, a plurality of methods and apparatuses for allowing a consumer to determine whether the products are distributed under the regulated temperature management are disclosed, a temperature and time indicator (TTI) (an instrument or a label attached to each of the medicines or milk products and configured to display accumulated temperature and time records in the products) is used by an international major company such as 3M or the like, and various kinds of TTIs are developed and used.
However, there are no method and apparatus for allowing a consumer to determine whether the products pass through an appropriate high pressure sterilization process under regulated temperature and pressure management, other than whether the products are distributed under regulated temperature management.
Accordingly, the inventor(s) has invent a temperature and time indicator for confirming sterilization, which is capable of allowing a consumer to visually check whether the products that necessarily require the high pressure sterilization process pass through the high temperature sterilization process performed under a regulated temperature and pressure condition through a specific mark.